We welcome everyone. Our Unitarian Universalist community seeks truth and deeper meaning, pursues justice through inspired action, and cultivates compassion and love for all connected by the web of life.

Brittany Packnett used this expression “the divine union of love and power” in her Ware Lecture last summer at General Assembly. The reference came from the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many of us know about Dr. King’s commitment to non-violence. What we may be less familiar with is his understanding of the holy power of love to change hearts and minds.

Music: Richard Porterfield with music of Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk

January 27,“How Can Albany UU Be a Good Neighbor?” Albany UU Board of Trustees

Central to Unitarian Universalism is striving to make our world more livable for people, plants and animals so we all might fulfill our greatest potential. As finite beings with limited resources, what is that potential for our congregation right now for this place and this time? Who are the neighbors we wish to serve?

Music: Albany UU choir directed by Richard Porterfield

Announcements

Planning for weather emergencies - which could be this Sunday!

In the event of severe weather, a decision to cancel Sunday morning RE classes will be publicized by 9:00 PM Saturday.

A decision to cancel Sunday meditation and the service will be publicized by 8:00 AM Sunday.

The cancellation of all other classes, programs and meetings depends on a decision by the chairperson. We hope to receive information enabling a cancellation announcement two hours before the event start time.

Notice of cancellations will be by email sent via email, FB and a notice posted on our website. Please check before coming to church this Sunday!

High School Youth Group Soliciting Donations for “Neighborly Bags”– for people asking for help

In the past children packed bags for people on the street asking for help. These were gallon Ziploc bags known as “Homeless Kits” or “Blessing Bags” with items such as granola bars, toiletries, and socks. This year the youth group asked to take this on. They have renamed the bags “Neighborly Bags” and are soliciting donations. Look for the donation bin in the coat room. Suggested items: granola bars, lip balm, socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and feminine hygiene products.

Call to Action!

The Inclusivity Team is asking for donations and contributions of needed items to support Ellazar Williams, the young man who was paralyzed by an Albany police officer’s bullet in an incident in which it appears he was running away from the officer, who was cleared of wrongdoing based on his perceived threat.

Ellazar recently moved into new accessible housing, but his girlfriend had to quit both her jobs to care for him and their expenses are huge.

The office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21 in honor of MLK Jr. Day. See you at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, Jan. 22!

Donations for Jams: no more electronics; we have plenty of those, but…

… to help the children explore our theme of Possibility, we do need a broken vacuum cleaner for the Take Apart Party and paper towel rolls, shoe boxes and other recycled cardboard for the Recycle Sculptures Look for the donation box outside Leah’s door in the workroom. Donations of duct tape (for the sculptures) are also appreciated!

The many donation bins!

Your head might be spinning with all the donation bins floating around the church. Let's see if we can make this easier:

--Donation bins for Ellazar Williams and Neighborly Bags are labeled and in the coat room.

--Donation carts and baskets for UU Jams are labeled and in the workroom (where the large copier lives), outside of Leah's office.

﻿If you have any questions at all, reach out to the office: 518.463.7135. Thank you for your generosity and willingness to help!

Attention Thespians

Rehearsals will start soon for the Annual Dinner Skit. For those not familiar, each year at our Annual Fellowship dinner in April at the Franklin Terrace, we put on a musical skit.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Rev. Trumbore’s hiring at AlbanyUU. To celebrate, we are dusting off the 1999 skit we performed about his hiring process. It is a parody of “The Music Man” and all the songs are based on that show.

We perform from scripts, so no memorization is required. If you would like to join the fun, please contact Bob Franklin at franklinbob@nycap.rr.com. Great singing talent is a sufficient condition, but not a necessary one.

Please gather blankets, sleeping bags, and warm coats, etc. and put them in the bin in the coatroom to be given to those who are homeless. Thank you for your help! The homeless shelter is so grateful for the donations to the blanket bin!

A reminder that envelopes are available on the table in the Community Hall Lobby each Sunday for cash contributions that you want to earmark toward a specific fund or pledge. You must use an envelope with your name and pledge year on it, if you wish to have your cash attributed toward your pledge. If you have any questions, an usher will be happy to assist you.

Led by Rev. Sam Trumbore, these meditation training and practice workshops will be on Friday 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Saturday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. It gives the participants an opportunity to learn Buddhist mindfulness meditation techniques and/or refresh and deepen their meditation practice. All are welcome from first timers to experts. There will be a vegan potluck lunch on Saturday and all are encouraged to bring something to share. (A voluntary donation can be offered at the end.) Learn more here.

Potluck and Game Night!

Back by popular demand - Pot Luck and Game Night, Friday, Feb. 1!

Bring your favorite dish, game and a friend! If you can, sign up ahead in Channing Hall, by sending an email to registration@albanyuu.org or just come - "walk-ins" are welcome.

Dinner starts at 6:00 PM; games will be played after dinner until about 8:00 PM; toddler-friendly activities too! Sponsored by the Religious Education Council

UPCOMING EVENTS

Walker Book Group- New Date - this Sunday, Jan. 20!

Join the Walker Book Group for a potluck and discussion on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 5:30 pm in Channing Hall. We will discuss Less, by Andrew Sean Greer. Learn more here.

East of Hudson Potluck

Let's gather on January 25 at 6:00 pm at the home of Sharon and Mike Babala for our next potluck. If there is snow adventurous spirits are invited to come early and snowshoe or cross country ski! Learn more here.

Artist Reception in Channing Hall

Reception January 27, 11:00 am during Coffee Hour - Show features portraits; people and some furry friends! Find more information here.

Getting to Know UU: orientation to UUism

Saturday, Feb. 2, 8:45 AM-noon

We invite you to join us for “Getting to Know UU”. We’ll start with coffee and snacks. You’ll learn about Unitarian Universalism and about our congregation! Learn more here.

Sending out HUUGs – Huge UUGreetings

We're gathering donations for packages for our fledgling young adults. Bring donations to the bin in the Work Room (where the photocopier is) by Sunday, Feb. 3. Learn morehere.

UUA Common Read - Justice on Earth - Discussion Group

Three Sessions - February 6, 13, and 20, 7:00pm, Room B-7

Please join us for this Inclusivity Team sponsored discussion group for the 2018 UUA Common Read book: Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and Environment, edited by Manish Mishra-Marzetti and Jennifer Nordstrom (Skinner House Books, 2018). Copies of the book are available to check out from the Albany UU library, for purchase at the Albany UU office, or from inSpirit: UUA Book and Gift Shop ($18 paperback, $9.99 ebook).

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers needed to work with current RE Group Leaders in January

In January each year we mix things up a bit in RE by offering some groups workshops instead of regular curriculum. We call it UU Jams!

This year's theme is Possibility. Here’s how it works: the children in grades pre-k thru 5 pick which workshop they would like to do each week. We cap the number of kids in each workshop at 8 and each Sunday there will be a regular RE teacher in the room. We'll start our month of Jams with Family Chapel on the theme of Possibility; then we’ll have the workshops

One volunteer from the congregation is needed for each of the Jams Jan 27:

Room 24/25: The possibility of nurturing and growing: group art projects or planting bulbs or other kinds of indoor gardening (along with free play in the block area)

Room 26: The possibility of creativity and reusing – creating “sculptures” out of recycled materials like paper towel rolls, shoe boxes and other recycled cardboard

Let me know if you can help out. Leah Purcell dre@albanyuu.org or 518-487-1536.

Sheridan Prep Tutoring Opportunity

The Albany School District is offering the Oasis Tutoring Training Program. This is an excellent chance to "dip your toes" into the fun of working with students from Sheridan Prep. The Oasis training teaches volunteers how to read interactively with children in the early elementary grades. After taking the training the volunteer is assigned to a student and meets with them for one hour per week. (Assignments to additional students is possible.) If you have questions about the program, talk to Chuck Manning. The program will be offered on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 9:30 am-3 pm at Harriet Gibbons Student Services Center, 75 Watervliet Ave. To register for the training email or call Fiona Thompson: https://www.albanyschools.org/district/communications/DistrictNews/2018-19/Oasis.literacy.12-11-18.htm

Sunday Volunteers - Make it a New Year's Resolution!

Would you like to be involved in the Sunday service in a more meaningful way?

Visit Sunday Hospitality Sign Up to find out about the ways you can volunteer on Sunday morning. We thank you and could not do what we do without YOU!

Keep up with what's happening for children and youth, including resources to support parents and caretakers at home by checking out Leah's RE Newsletter!

Nursery/Toddler Room opens at 9:45 for children and infants under 2 years old

Faith formation of children and youth this Sunday, Jan. 13:

This Sunday is Family Chapel for kids in Pre-K thru grade 7 and their families. Family Chapel begins at 10:00 AM in the Sanctuary and is our monthly family-friendly service. After Family Chapel the kids will go to their classrooms.

Youth group and 8th and 9th grade will meet in their classrooms at 10:00 AM.

Please see the Announcement and Volunteer sections above for more opportunities to help with Religious Exploration here at Albany UU!

Women of Color Brunch, Sat. Jan. 19, 10:00 am at Albany UU - The event is free but registration is required. Join together with a diverse and inclusive community of Women of Color with keynote speaker Amani O.

Women of Color March & Rally, Sat. Jan. 19, 12N beginning at Albany UU - There are 2 different marches on January 19. This is the Sister March in Albany to the National Women's March. All are welcome to attend.

2019 Women’s March, Albany, Sat. Jan. 19, 12N will begin with a 25 to 30 minute walk from Jennings Landing on the Hudson River up to West Capital Park. At the park there will be speakers and music from SIRSY.

Free admission at Albany Institute of History and Art for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21, 10AM to 5PM, 125 Washington Ave.

The Justice Singers of the Capital Region will lead singing and chanting during the Women's Empowerment March on Saturday, Jan. 19, and we welcome your participation. If you have any questions, contact Mark Abendroth at markabendroth@gmail.com. Paula Brewer and Liliana Abendroth are also members of the Justice Singers.

Raise Your Voice for End of Life Choice

Prospects for passing the Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York have never been better, thanks to the Senate Health Committee’s incoming chairperson, Democrat Gustavo Rivera, a co-sponsor of the bill. This would be a good time to contact your own lawmakers about the bill, even if you have done so before. You are invited to be at the Capitol on January 28 at noon for a campaign kick-off event and press conference, with details to follow when you RSVP to acavanaugh@compassionandchoices.org

A "Singing" Success!

Choir members- Thanks for contributing time, assistance, and baking skills to a very successful Albany UU Choir-sponsored benefit concert with Alyssa Yeager on January 11!!!

Results: 80 people in attendance (a number of non-familiar, new faces!); Over 200 toiletries/school supplies collected (many multi-packs) and $1223 in monetary donations! All proceeds going to the Albany US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

WOW!! Thanks especially for Alyssa Yeager's contribution of musician services. The Community Hall was abuzz with compliments for her performance.

Spokane in 2019, Providence in 2020

Looking for a meaningful experience in an interesting location with programs that will challenge and uplift you – all in the company of thousands of other Unitarian Universalists? Consider General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association!

In 2019, GA will be held in Spokane, Washington from June 19-23. Closer to home, in 2020, GA will take place in Providence, Rhode Island from June 24-28. Learn more here.

Green Sanctuary's Tip of the Week!

Practicing Our Seventh Principle:

Baking soda and vinegar are not only great cleaners, but both are non-toxic and remarkably cheap. To clean counters, simply sprinkle baking soda on a wet cloth and wipe it down. Vinegar can also be used as a disinfectant. Use a little lemon juice to help cover up the vinegar smell.

JOYS and CARING CORNER

To share your Joy or Sorrow with our Albany UU community, you may submit it on a yellow card during the service or by using our online form.

Need to Talk? Albany UU Pastoral Care Associates are here to listen!

Our Pastoral Care Associates have been trained in compassionate listening skills and are available to all members and friends of our congregation. To contact a Pastoral Care Associate, email: listeners@albanyuu.org, contact Rev. Sam Trumbore, the Albany UU office at 518.463.7135, or one of them personally. They are: Chuck Manning, Phil Rich, Randy Rosette, Sandy Stone, Lisa Barron, Donna Meixner, Dee VanRiper and Sharon Babala.

Regular events and meetings

Check Windows Weekly for changes to date, time and location.

Sundays

11:45 AM Inclusivity Team (1st)

5:30 PM Walker Book Group (2nd)

11:45 AM Social Responsibilities Council (3rd)

11:45 AM Green Sanctuary Committee (4th)

Mondays

6:15 PM Religious Education Council (1st)

Tuesdays

10:00 AM Philosophy Discussion (weekly)

1:00 PM Bridge (weekly)

7:00 PM UU Humanists (3rd) - Nov. only

Wednesdays

10:00 AM Projects & Quilts (weekly)

7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal (almost weekly)

Thursdays

1:00 PM All Sides Considered (1st & 3rd)

7:00 PM Program Coordinating Council (2nd)

6:15 PM Board of Trustees (4th)

Going to miss a Sunday?

You can listen to the entire Albany UU Sunday service at home or on your mobile device. The two most recent services are available as MP3 files on the Albany UU member resource website. Here is how to access:

Our sermon archive (select Ministry/Sermon Archive on the left website menu) has pdf files of sermons texts (when available) and audio files of sermons. You can also request the office put a service on a CD.

First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany

Parking: Parking is available on the street. On Sundays (and for some special events) Albany UU has permission to use the University at Albany’s Hawley Parking Lot on Robin Street at Washington Avenue.

To reserve a room for an Albany UU activity or to rent a hall or classroom space, for a personal or non-Albany UU activity, contact Administrative Assistant Sapphire Correa (518.463.7135 or office@albanyuu.org).